Improved folding steps



BENJAMN J. HARRISON AND JAMES CONDIE, 0F YORK', N. `Y. Letters Patent No. 71,611, dated December 3, 1867.

Insecten soun-No STEPS.

l'.120 ALLwnoM 1T MAY coNoERN:

` Be it knownthat we, BENJAMIN J. Emerson and JAM'Es Connie, cf the city and State of New Yorli, have invented,made, and applied to use, a. certain new and useful Improvement in Folding Steps; and we d o hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this'specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a section o f the said folding steps as open-for use. Figure is a. section through the top step and through one of the hollow columns connectingthe side frames. Figure 3 is an inverted plan of the top step; .and Figure 4 is an elevation o'f a pair of legsunited by the cross-rail. Similar marks of reference denote the same parts. v Folding steps have heretofore been made with side frames, carrying a top step secured by gluing, and nailing a moulding around the piece of wood, forming the top step, and gluing in blocks to secure the parts, similarly to the'usual manner of connecting table-tops, and to the frame-` thus made a folding-'step has-been applied that can be inverted into-the said frame or turned down for use. These folding stepsarc convenient for domestic usefbut they are bulky, vand very'costly in `tra.insportation. The steps require to be boxed, and the freight is' chargedon themas furniture, and because ofthe liability to injury in transportation,l the rate of `freight is much higher than on most other kinds of goods. The consequenee has been that the convenient article of folding stepsha-s been confined in its use almost entirely to places near to the'nianufactory. v

The nature of our said invention consists in folding steps formed with -a removable top, constructed in such 'a manner as to be easily separated from the frame, butrm when applied in its placewithnl frame, that is, tied together by hollow columns and bolts, and with' swinging steps that can be taken apart or put together with lfacility. By thisconstruction we are enabled topack-the folding steps into about one-sixth thespace occupied by them when put together, and thereby effect considerable saving in the bulk, but also in the rate of charges for freight, because the parts of. the steps when disconnected are not liable to be broken. Besides this', thc steps when .put together are much stronger and more durable; at the same time, the cost of manufacture is but 4little increased.

In the drawing, a a are the vertical legs, united'in' pairs "by the cross-rails b b. At'the top of eachleg'is a circular tenen, c, and d is the top step, formed with surrounding base, e, that is mortiseda'nd tenoncd together at the angles, and bored 'with a hole at the points of intersection for receiving the tenon c, so that the base is made very strong by its own mortises and tenons at the angles, and these, in addition to gluing, are held,

together by the tenen c passing into them. The base e is arched upwards between the angles so as to lessen the weight. We provide the tubular columnsf of a length to pass between the frames formed ofthe legs a and cross-pieces b, and the ends of these columns are to be steadied by passing'into recesses inthe inner surfaces of the said frames. The bolts z', with heads and-nuts at'their respective-ends, pass through the frames, and

`through these columns f, and secure the parts inthe most rigid manner. The steps c 7a are di' u. width to pass in between the frames a, and are secured tothe side pieces l by screws so as to be easily connected or disconnected, and mis a tiefrod, vonfwhich they can' be swung over into the position shown by red lines, or supported when in the position shown by black lines, iig. 1. .I 4 v It will now be understood that these foldingsteps can be prepared for putting together, and then packed into a small compass for transportation, and put together with great facility at their destination,-or the steps can be taken apart and packed after they have b een once put together, it only being necessary to take out the rod "m, turn the ,frame a ups'idedown, and pull thelegs or knock the step d and its base e od' the tenonsc,'and then Aloosen the bolts z', and separatethe columns andframes. The parts can then be. packed together in a very compact mass in apsmall space. I' l What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters P atent, is- The folding'steps constructed in thev manner and forftheA purposes specied.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our signatures, this sixteenth day of August, 1867.

BENJ. J. HARRISON, .JAMES ooNDIE.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. WALKER, (Inns.` H. SMITH. 

